title: Advances in Integrative Nanomedicine for Improving Infectious Disease Treatment in Public Health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infectious diseases present public health challenges worldwide. An emerging integrative approach to treating infectious diseases is using nanoparticle (NP) forms of traditional and alternative medicines. Advantages of nanomedicine delivery methods include better disease targeting, especially for intracellular pathogens, ability to cross membranes and enter cells, longer duration drug action, reduced side effects, and cost savings from lower doses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched Pubmed articles in English with keywords related to nanoparticles and nanomedicine. Nanotechnology terms were also combined with keywords for drug delivery, infectious diseases, herbs, antioxidants, homeopathy, and adaptation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NPs are very small forms of material substances, measuring 1-100 nanometers along at least one dimension. Compared with bulk forms, NPs' large ratio of surface-area-to-volume confers increased reactivity and adsorptive capacity, with unique electromagnetic, chemical, biological, and quantum properties. Nanotechnology uses natural botanical agents for green manufacturing of less toxic NPs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nanoparticle herbs and nutriceuticals can treat infections via improved bioavailability and antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. Recent studies demonstrate that homeopathic medicines may contain source and/or silica nanoparticles because of their traditional manufacturing processes. Homeopathy, as a form of nanomedicine, has a promising history of treating epidemic infectious diseases, including malaria, leptospirosis and HIV/AIDS, in addition to acute upper respiratory infections. Adaptive changes in the host's complex networks underlie effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nanomedicine is integrative, blending modern technology with natural products to reduce toxicity and support immune function. Nanomedicine using traditional agents from alternative systems of medicine can facilitate progress in integrative public health approaches to infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA ; Department of Psychology, the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA ; College of Nursing, the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA ; Department of Medicine (Integrative Medicine), the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA ; Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA.
authors.forename: Iris R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Nancy N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koithan
authors.forename: Audrey J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Brooks
keywords: Adaptation; Antioxidants; Drug delivery systems; Herbal medicine; Homeopathy; Infectious disease treatment; Medicinal plants; Nanomedicine; Nanoparticles; Network medicine; Silica